You don't have to be a veteran gambler to know the odds are against you winning big bucks playing table games. Still, according a new documentary from Bloomberg Television, there are ways to tip the house edge into your favor.

The 45-minute film, "The Player: Secrets of a Las Vegas Whale," tells the story of Don Johnson, a professional blackjack player who hit Vegas and Atlantic City casinos for a total of $15 million over four months last year. The program debuted last month and airs on Bloomberg TV through the end of February; check your local listings.

In the documentary, Trish Regan reports on the weakened state of the $37 billion casino industry that allowed Johnson to take advantage and tip the odds in his favor. Her thesis: Casinos were so desperate for whales like Johnson that they allowed him to beat the system.

Regan got Johnson to outline how he managed to control the odds. His strategies included negotiating a 20 percent rebate on losses, railroading different table rules - such as splitting and doubling up to four times in one hand - and rejecting traditional comps for up to $50,000 in free play. But Johnson implemented other strategies, too, namely antagonizing and intimidating dealers into making mistakes.

"At the end of the day, if you can beat the dealer, you can beat the house," Regan said last week by phone. "More than anything else, this is what Don Johnson was able to master and use to his advantage throughout his run."

Put differently, Johnson preyed upon dealer error - an inevitability on the modern casino floor. Every time a dealer erred in dealing to Johnson, he essentially received a free bet. And he took every free bet he could find. For average gamblers who bet $50 per hand, this might have resulted in modest winnings. But for Johnson, who would bet upward of $50,000 per hand, the resulting windfall was huge.

With this in mind, Johnson went out of his way to distract the dealer. Some sessions he'd bring porn stars. Other visits he'd just look angry. Time and time again, these tactics led to free bets. "He waged psychological warfare on the dealers," Regan said. "And it paid off."

While amateur gamblers likely won't be able to negotiate discounts or new table rules, we usually can at least stay aware of what the dealer is doing. The biggest lesson from "The Player" is simple: Pay attention. Even if you're gambling with friends, stay involved with every hand and make sure you see what the dealer is doing on every play. If you see the dealer err, let him and accept the free bet. No, the proposition isn't easy. But it could win you some serious cash.